It is sometimes necessary to format an electronic data set in different ways. One way to format a data set in different ways is by means of a plurality of data formatters, each of which is configured to format the data set in a different way, and each of which accesses the data set in series (i.e., when one of the data formatters is done formatting the data, another of the data formatters then accesses the data). Alternately, each of the data formatters may access the data set in parallel. Or, the data set can be replicated, and each of the data formatters can access a different replica of the data set.
When a plurality of data formatters access a data set in series, it takes longer to format the data set than if the data formatters access the data set in parallel. However, when data formatters access a data set in parallel (or access replicas of the data set in parallel), memory, storage and/or processing resources are often used inefficiently, and memory, storage and/or processing limitations can be neared or reached.